BEST BUDGET

ASUS VivoBook E403SA

This affordable laptop proves that budget options don't have to be big and bulky. At only 0.7 inches (1.77cm) thick and weighing in at just over three pounds (1.49kg), you won't mind toting this laptop around with you wherever you go. Inside the aluminum chassis is an Intel Pentium N3700 processor and 4GB of DDR3 RAM to keep things running smoothly, and a 128GB eMMC drive will boot Windows 10 in seconds. Where many budget laptops suffer is the display, but not here — the 14-inch, 1080p display has great color and contrast. This laptop starts at about $390.

Bottom line: Love using a 14-inch laptop but don't want to spend big bucks? Check out the ASUS VivoBook E403SA

One more thing: This laptop has great battery life — you can realistically expect about eight or nine hours from a single charge.

BEST BUSINESS

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

This laptop gets its name from the carbon-fiber reinforced chassis it's built on — it will put up a fight against wear from the daily grind, and the keyboard even resists spills if you accidentally tip over your coffee. The 14-inch, 1440p display has an anti-glare and anti-smudge coating, and it is bright enough to use outdoors. Get up to a 6th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 512GB PCIe solid-state drive. Configurations start at about $950 and run up to about $1550.

Bottom line: For the best 14-inch business laptop, check out the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon.

One more thing: The X1 Carbon's battery lasts up to about nine hours, so you can get through a workday without searching for an outlet.

BEST GAMING

Razer Blade

Razer's newly updated Blade gaming laptop now has an NVIDIA GTX 1060 with 6GB of GDDR5 VRAM for amazing graphics on the 14-inch, 1800p touch display. The Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor has a clock speed up to 3.5GHz, and 16GB of RAM is plenty of power to run current games. Choose up to a 1TB PCIe solid-state drive — you'll be able to store a lot of games, and you'll enjoy watching Windows 10 boot in a matter of seconds. Configurations start at about $1800 and run up to about $2700.

Bottom line: The Razer Blade, with an NVIDIA GTX 1060 graphics card, is the best 14-inch gaming laptop.

One more thing: An FHD display is also available if you want to save some money and don't mind a lower resolution.

BEST ULTRABOOK

Acer Swift 5

The Acer Swift 5 comes with a 7th-generation Intel Core i7-7500U processor with a clock speed up to 3.5GHz, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 256GB solid-state drive — this laptop will handle a pretty heavy workload without breaking a sweat. The 14-inch, 1080p display is housed in an aluminum chassis that's only 0.57 inches (1.44cm) thick, and the entire thing weighs only about three pounds (1.36kg). You'll experience comfortable typing for extended periods of time on the backlit keyboard, and you'll love using the large, precisee touchpad. Throw in a long-lasting battery, fingerprint reader, and plenty of ports, and you can a great ultrabook that starts at only about $900.

Bottom line: For the best 14-inch ultrabook, have a look at the Acer Swift 5.

One more thing: MU-MIMO 802.11ac internet gives you a faster wireless experience.

BEST OVERALL

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga, with a 14-inch, 1440p touch display, convertible design, long-lasting battery, and powerful hardware can really do it all. The rugged construction means you can haul it around with you while you work or travel, and the host of ports allows for convenient connectivity. Models start at about $1800.

Bottom line: If you want the best 14-inch laptop, check out the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga.

One more thing: LTE-A connectivity is available for anyone who needs to be connected at all times.